It was only a few moments before Emmalyn very gently turned the upper half of her body just enough to see who was sitting beside her.
“Hey, you,” Hellen said.
“Hey. I miss you,” Emmalyn said.
“Miss you, too. That’s why I’m here. I came just for you.”
“I made a mess of your house,” Emmalyn said.
“It’s fine. I needed a new one anyway,” Hellen said.
“Is it that bad?” Emmalyn asked.
“No! No, it’s okay. I’m just teasing.”
“Oh, oh, good. I’d feel terrible if I ruined it so bad it had to be replaced. Not that I want to go over there again any time soon.”
“I’m so sorry, Em. If I’d have been home maybe it wouldn’t have happened to you.”
“How is you being home going to keep a stalker from attacking me?”
“I don’t know. I just feel like I should have been here.”
“Probably better you weren’t or he might have hurt you, too.”
Hellen nodded, and took Emmalyn’s hand when she offered it.
Barron poked his head in. “Em, you want to try to eat a little something this morning?”
“I want coffee.”
“I’m making it. But I think you should eat instead of just loading up on caffeine. You’re still recovering.”
“I’ll try to eat a little.”
“Anything in particular?”
“No, whatever is fine. But maybe grits. With cheese. And bacon. And toast. With lots of butter.”
“Coming up,” Barron said.
Hellen chuckled softly.
“What’s funny?” Emmalyn asked.
“Nothing in particular, then a list of exactly how it needs to be.”
“I’d be happy with just coffee, but it makes him happy to take care of me right now. And if I’m a little demanding, he feels better because he thinks I’m dealing with things better than I was.”
“And are you? Dealing with things better?”
Emmalyn took a deep breath and thought about her answer. “I’m not sure. Sometimes I want to hide in the closet and cry.How could I have been so vulnerable, so weak to have been taken down by a man that I know I can take on a good day. Then I think I may never go outside again. But then I get angry and think I need to do something more daring than I’ve ever done to prove to myself that I’m okay. That I’m strong and need no one. That I’m still me.”
“You are still you,” Hellen said.
Emmalyn shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not. But I’m still here, and that’s something. I’ve realized that the most important things in life aren’t proving to everyone just how independent and self-reliant I am. The most important thing is making sure that the people I love, know I love them, because any single moment in time could be the last. And what if it was spent being an asshole just because you can be an asshole?”
“It doesn’t have to be all vulnerability or independence. There’s a healthy medium, I’m sure. Somewhere along the way.”
